Lubricant compressor



Feb. 6, 1951 E. M. FOSTER LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 2O, 1945 Feb. 6, 1951 E. M. FOSTER LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR Patented Feb. 6, 1951 LnmcAN'r COMPRESSOR Everette M. Foster, Chicago, 111., assigner to Stewart-Warner Corporation,"A Chicago,v Ill., a corporation of Virginia Application December 20, 1945, Serial No. 636,184

`11 Claims.

"Thisxinvention relates to a .lubricant pumping deviceof `the typefin which the pump is suspended in abody of" lubricant and is operated by a oompressed air motor for elevating the lubricant and discharging it under pressure. Such an arrangement is frequently employed for dispensingheavy grease aswell as lubricating oil.

One object of the invention is to provide `a new and `lirriproved `air `motor adapted for operating a lubricant .pump orcompressor.

Another 'object-of the invention is `to provide an air motor of reciprocating type with an automatici'eversing valve'and means for causing the valvetoreverse suddenly "when actuated by the movement of the motorpiston.

fIt is'also fan-objectof the invcnti'onto provide aJ-new "and improved quick-detachable coupling between the piston oftheair motor and the vpiston of the pump.

`Other Vobjects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is Va Aside elevationlof -a .lubricant 4com-- pressor and air `motor therefor as assembled in a combined unitready for use;

Fig. `2 is a vertical lsectional view through the cylinder of the .airmotor ytaken-as indicated at line 24-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated -at line 3--3 on Fig. 2,-and consisting mainly of a .plan view of the valve mechanism .as-it appears when the end ,cover ofthe air cylinm der is removed;

VFig. 4 isaltransverse section taken as 'indicated at line ll4 on Fig.`2;

Fig. 5-is a vertical sectional view of ythe air motorcylinder taken as indicated at line 5--5 on Fig. '3 and includingthe upper end of the pump rod and its connection to thepiston rod of the air motor;

`Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view in the same plane as Fig. 5 and 'showingthe lubricant pumping'mechanism.

lIn "the` assembly illustrated in Fig. "1, `the air motor cylinder V'lil 'is shown with wan"air supply pipel2 leading into one side, and with a hollow stem portion Hi interposed between the cylinder lil and "thetubular casing 116 oi the lubricant pump. The pump cylinder lextends'from'the lower end of fthe tubing l5 and there is attached to it alubrca'nt` inlet "iitting 2Q at the *lower end. The operation or `the pump lifts the `lubricant through .theinlettting' and through the casu ingl,"an'd di'schargesit through'afpipeZZat one "s'id'e ofthe"conne`ctin'g stem 'l"4,'anysuitable" hose or other conduit being attached to the pipe'23 for conveying the lubricant to a point of use.

Within the Vcylinder le a piston Re is mounted for reciprocation and has rigidly connected with it a piston rod 2e which is slidable in the stem lfl, as seen in Fig. 5. Said stem contains suitable packing 28 secured by a'gland Si! toprevent leakage of air along the piston rod 2S and which also is provided with additional packing at 32 to prevent the leakage `of lubricant upwardly from the casing i6 along the piston rod 2i?. In addition to the disc or plate 42li the piston assembly includes the cup washers Sli, 3d with their retaining plates 3ft and 3l, all secured around a central coreor hub 38 which is screwed onto the threaded upper end of the piston rod 2E and secured in any suitablemanner as by a lock nut Ml.

The upper end of the piston rod 253 is hollow, providing a bore i2 in which a valve rod M "is accommodated for axial. movement. The lower end of the valve rod includes a head portion it providing an upwardly facing `shoulder d8, and the upper portion of the valve rod is larger than the lower portion, thus providing a downwardly facing shoulder 5D. The hub portion (it of the piston is `formed with a central opening in its 'end Wall 52 and this opening is just large enough to 4accommodate the smaller portion of the valve rod44 so thatthe shoulders 48 and 5d oi the valve rod are engaged alternately by theopposing surfaces ofthe end wall 52 of the hub 38 as the piston-reciprocates. 'The distance between `the shoulders 48 and 56E is only slightly less than the full stroke ofthe piston, so that the valve rod lill provides `a 'lost motion connection between 'the piston and fthe valve mechanism about lto be described.

vFrom Fig. '5 it `will be seen that the air inlet pipe l2 admits -air under pressure to a passage '54 extending upwardly in the wall oi the cylinder Hl Vand opening into a valve chamber 55 which is provided by the dome or end cap 5S secured to the upper Yendoi the cylinder in airtight relation thereto. As-seen inFig. 2, the cylinder head or end wallis formed with the -three ports 552, 5d., and t6 which are continued upwardly through a valve plate e8 in contact with which a slide valve 'ld 4is arranged for actuation. The cylinder I and its head 60 are preferably of cast construction and the valve plate E58 is merely employed as a convenience in manufacture, so that it can be conveniently machined and will provide a suitable wear-resisting surface for engagement with the slide valve lll.

'The-port'i'leads directly fromlthe valvechamber 56 into the upper end of the cylinder i6, so that when this port is uncovered, as shown in Fig. 2, the air pressure is applied to the upper side of the piston 2f! for moving it downwardly. When the Valve l is shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, its cavity l2 forms a connection between the port 62 and the port Sii. As seen in Fig. 4, the port 6d is connected by a passage 'M with the exhaust opening 'i6 which may be iilled with steel or copper wool or similar material and covered with a suitable perforated plate or screen 18. Thus, any pressure in the cylinder above the piston 24 is released to the atmosphere and the air remaining in this space will not obstruct the upward movement of the piston. W ith the slide valve 'i0 in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the port 66 is opened directly to the valve chamber 56. Since this port is connected by passages 26, 82, 8@ and 06 with the lower end of the cylinder l0 below the piston 2d, air under pressure is thus admitted below the piston for the upstroke thereof, and during upward movement of the piston the air escapes from the upper portion of the cylinder i6 through the ports 62 and 64 which are connected by the cavity 'i2 of the Valve I3 at this time.

For convenience of construction, the passages 'i4 and80 may be cored in the under side of the cylinder head 66 and then closed by a sheet of packing'material 88 and a cover plate 99 secured in the upper end of the cylinder .by screws 62. The plate 96 holds in place a gland member 9d which vretains a bushing S6 of packingmaterial which surrounds the valve rod iii and thus provides a seal against air leakage along the rod.

The actuation of the slide valve l@ is accomplished by the movement of a frame or crosshead I iiD-which comprises a base portion |62 with arms |04 extending upwardly from its opposite endsand connected by a tie bolt |66. The base |02 Vhas a` longitudinal slot l|06 providing clearance forthe -upper end of the valveV rod is and a cam plate |I0 attached thereto, andthe sides of the slot |08 are provided with notches l l2 which engage an upstanding lug 4|@ on the slide valve 10 for transmitting movement from the crosshead |00 to the Valve l0. The inclined cam faces ||6 of the plate ||0 Vengage the ends of a fitted slot in a'follower plate H8, as seen in Fig. V2, so -that'vertical movement of Ythe valve rod le and the cam plate i@ causes transversely horizontal movement of the follower plate I6. The'follower I I8 includes upstanding arms 20 which straddle the bolt |06 of the crosshead |20, as seen in Fig. 5,`and the arms are connected by a crossbar |22 having a'central openingto accommodate the bolt |06. Preferably, the bolt is covered by a sleeve |26 which is slidable smoothly through the opening in the crossbarV |22. Coil springs |23, |28 react between opposite sides of the crossbar |22 and the arms |04 of the crosshead |66. Thus.

the horizontal movement of the followerV H8 caused by vertical movement of the cam plate i6 shifts the crossbar |22 in a direction to compress one of the springs v |28 untilV suiiicient pressure is built up to 'move Vthe crosshead |66 bodily and shift the Valve 'i6 in the direction in which the follower I 8 has been moved by the cam plate i 0.

Y VMovement of the cam plate i iii in the opposite direction produces a corresponding movement of the follower H8 causing the erossbar E22 to compress the otherspring |26 and shirt the cresshead |00 back to its-original position, the crosshead Y carrying with it the slide valve lb.

These movements of the clQSShead |06 are yieldingly resisted by spring-pressed detent balls |36 engaging in V -shaped notches |3| in the base portion |02 of the crosshead |00. The balls |30 are carried in pockets |32 mounted in brackets i343 which are secured to the cylinder head 66 by screws |36, and the pockets house springs |36 coniined by caps |40 forming the outer ends of the pockets. Notches |35 in the brackets I 3d form guideways for the crosshead and the follower. When the cam plate H0 begins to move the follower ||8, the detent balls |30 at first prevent any corresponding movement of the crosshead |66 and continue to hold it stationary until the follower il and its crossbar |22 have moved far enough to build up sufficient pressure in one of the springs |26 to overcome the yielding resistance of the detents |36. The crosshead |00 then will move suddenly to the limit of its range, causing the detent balls |36 to be forced out of the notches |3| which they first occupy, and to immeditely snap into the notches |33 to hold the crossliead at said other limit of its range until reverse action of the cam I |0 operates to return it to its initial position.

In View of the lost motion involved in the con-l nection between the valve rod 44 and the piston- 2fi and its piston rod 26, the movements of the valve rod isi will take place only as the piston 20 approaches either end of its stroke and then, as just described, the final shifting of the valve l0 will be delayed during completion of the piston stroke and while sumcient pressure is being built up in one or the other of the springs |28 to shift the Vcrosshead |60 and the valve 70. Thus the working pressure of the air will be allowed to operate against the piston through a maximum' portion of its stroke, and then will be' applied in full force Vfor reversing the piston movement as quickly as possible whereby the lubricant pump will be operated at maximum pressure in an almost continuous manner.

The construction of the pump shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is largely conventional. The pump rod |40 has a threaded connection |42 with the piston or plunger IM. rThe reduced lower end portion |66 of the piston has coupled to ita second rodV |48 threaded at its lower end to receive a head |50. The hollow terminal fitting 20 attachedto This lubricant is thus moved pastthe foot valve Y and is trapped in the cylinder i8 as the valve closes downwardly against its seat |56. Downward movement of the piston or plunger IM transfers the lubricant through lateral ports |56V and a central passage |60 in the piston past a check valve |62 and through a port |64 into the casing |6, so that on the upstroke the piston lifts the Ylubricant through the casing i6 for discharge by way of the outlet pipe 22. Y

To permit convenient disconnection of the air motor from the pump, the piston rod 26 and the pump rod |40l are provided withr a quick-detachable coupling. The lower end of the piston rod 26 is cut away at one side and then notched at 26a, and the upper end of therod 40 is similarly cut away at one side and notched at Mila.V The hook-shaped ends, of the rods @bennes Hessing the *hooked ends fof ftne "rods :2t 'sans so tha- Athe eanjbeseparateu"laterally -`nfcmss fnl-'lv tnerodflwn eng gestire slots ma in iations'fandequivalents'lcomingwithin De lof lthef'fllW-iig Yilailns.

l. In an lair` 4motor including a cylinder, a

piston, and aslide valve for controlling the adi mission Yof air under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, means -toactuat-e said valve including a slotted followerplate slidably moliiitedfor movement transversely of the direction of piston travel and connected to said lval've, Ta valve actuating rod eitendingtlirough lio of said slot in the follower of `the plate 'for shifting said plate as the valve rod is actuated by tlietravel of the piston.

1 2. -rn air motoras* dehnen in claim =1, said lii'd lia-ving -fomiositely 4facing :shoulders "spaced apart and engageable respectively With abutment means on the piston, but with lost motion, for shifting the valve as the piston approaches either limit of its reciprocation in the cylinder.

3. In an air motor including a cylinder, a piston, and a slide valve for controlling the admission of air under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, means to actuate said valve including a crosshead connected thereto and movable parallel to the path of valve travel, a member movable parallel to said crosshead movement in response to movement of the piston, spring means interposed between said member and the crosshead, means yieldingly opposing movement of the crosshead and serving to delay its movement in either direction until said spring means has been stressed by the travel of said member, said slide valve being movable transversely of the direction of piston travel, a cam operated by the movement of the piston and having surfaces inclined to its direction of movement, the aforesaid member which transmits movement to the crosshead comprising follower means engaging the cam whereby said member and crosshead and slide valve are actuated by the movement of the piston.

4. In an air motor including a cylinder, a piston, and a slide valve for controlling the admission of air under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, means to actuate said valve including a crosshead connected thereto and movable parallel to the path of valve travel, said crosshead having a pair of spaced upstanding arms, a tie rod connecting said arms with iitor las 'defined in fclaim 4,5 said cludinga base portion lwith a pair "dlinotclis'formediin each side thereof, and said det' t 'meansfcomprisingaspring-pressed ball "'achfsid'ff the crosshead in fposigage :any "one @of "said notches 'at Fone thecrossheadmovemeritland to engage in Tt ethier no'tch when" the c'rossheadis shifted i, Ito *its einer peut.

In v"an 4"air 'motor including Sajeylinder, a pisrt'on, an'd `a slide valve for controlling Vthe adm-ssion ff' air under pressurealternately fto" opposite *en s-"o'f 'the 'cylindenmeans toactiiate said valve iiding 5a "ers'shead connected 'thereto and rn'vable "parallel to Aetheipath :6i ivalve travel, said fcrbssheadhaving a 4pair fof spaced "upstan'ding e rod connecting fs'aidiarms Vwith-a pair n'gs Aon said?A tie Irodffa" member engaged ""nop'psing ends'dfisaidfcoil 's'pri'ngs, means 'afctu tedby 'ithe Apiston for iio'vi'ng said member 'the-1 diiectionlto compressfone fo'f said springs asth piston approaches lorie jlimit of its travel ing said-lneinber intheiother direction to-compress other pringlas `the piston approalis `its-"d'jposite:ilifriit `-of travel, and means yieldingly resisting movement of the crosshead in either direction, said yielding means operating to release the crosshead suddenly upon accumulation of suiiicient spring pressure, thereby causing the valve to be shifted suddenly for reversing the piston.

7, In an air motor as defined in claim. 6, said piston actuated means for moving said member including a valve rod extending slidably through the head of the cylinder and through the piston, said rod having oppositely facing shoulders spaced apart and engageable respectively with abutment means on the piston, but with lost motion, for shifting said member, and a hollow piston rod accommodating said valve rod.

8. In a mechanism for operating a valve to control the application -of uid pressure to the opposite sides of a piston, the combination comprising a valve, a crossheadconnected to operate said valve, spring means operatively engaged with said crosshead, means movable in opposite directions and relative to said crosshead to condition the spring means alternately to move said crosshead in opposite directions, yieldable means for restraining movement of said crosshead until a predetermined force is exerted by said spring means sufficient to cause movement of the crosshead with a snap action, cam means movable in response to movement of said piston for moving the movable means linearly in opposite directions normal to the direction of movement of the cam means thereby to condition the spring means for moving the crosshead, and lost motion means for moving said cam means in Iopposite directions iin response to movement of the piston as the latter approaches either limit in its stroke.

9. A'valve actuator as set forth in claim 8, wherein the yieldable restraining means comprises notched latch means and a spring pressed detentV adapted to cooperate therewith to restrain movement of said crosshead, one of said cooperating means being carried by said crosshead and the other being fixed against movement. Y

10. In a mechanism for operating a valve to control the application of iiuid pressure to the opposite sides of a piston, the combination comprising a valve for controlling the ow of said huid, a crosshead connected to operate said valve, spring means operatively engaged with said crosshead, means movable in opposite directions and relative to said crosshead to condition the spring means alternately to move said crosshead in opposite directions, yieldable means for restraining movement of said crosshead until a predetermined i-orce is exerted by said spring means Ysufficient to cause movement of the crosshead with a snap action, and cam means movable in response to the approach of said piston to either limit of its stroke having opposite parallel cam faces inclined to a direction of movement of the cam and adapted to cooperate withV correspondv ingly inclined faces on said movable means to move the latter linearly in opposite directions normal to the direction of movement of the cam means thereby to condition the spring means for moving the crosshead.

1l. In an air motor, a cylinder, a double acting piston therein ,having a piston rod extending through one end of the cylinder, a head on the other end of said cylinder having a rst port extending therethrough intol the adjacent end of said cylinder, and a plurality of open cored recesses'on its inner side, a closure member in said cylinder fol closing said cored recesses to dene passageways in said head including a passageway adapted to be connected to the opposite side of said cylinder and a passageway forming an exhaust outlet, two ports on the outer side of said head communicating respectively with said exhaust passageway and the passageway adapted to be connected to the other side of said cylinder and aligned with said i'lrst mentionedI port, a valve for alternately exposing the ports in said head connected to the opposite ends of said cylinder and connecting the same with the port communicating with said exhaust passageway, snap action mechanism for shifting said valve to establish the communication aforementioned, lost motion means for operating said snap action means from said piston as the ,latter approaches either limit of its stroke to reverse the application of fluid pressure to said piston, a hollow cap on said cylinder head enclosing said operating mechanism and forming an inlet chamber for the motivating uid, and means for supplying motivated fluid under pressure to said hollow cap.

EVERETTE M. FOSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Sweden Sept. '13, 1927 

